King's Business - 1915-11

964

THE KING’S BUSINESS CHRISTIAN SCIENCE HEALINGS

By R. A. T HE question has been frequently put to me, “How do you account for the heal­ ings claimed by the Christian Scientists?” The question is very easily answered. 1. Many supposed illnesses are pyrely imaginary. Ordinary medical practitioners find that those persons afflicted with imag­ inary complaints are the most difficult cases to treat. Christian Scientists teach that all sickness is an illusion, and they, of course, tell these people that their sicknesses are illusions; that they are imaginary; that they are not really sick; and as far as these per­ sons are concerned, they are right. They drill this thought into them by constant re­ iteration, that their sicknesses are imag­ inary, until at last they bring them to be­ lieve, what is really the fact, that they have no real sickness; and so, of course, they get well in their minds. They were well in their bodies all the time. There are many sick­ nesses which are really not imaginary, and the Christian Scientists tell these people also that their sicknesses {ire imaginary and per­ suade them that they arej and these unfor­ tunates, while they fancy they are getting well, frequently get sicker and sicker, and oftentimes die, when under proper medical treatment they would have recovered, or have gained at least improved health.' A very large share of the alleged healings of the Christian Scientists are of persons whose complaints were really imaginary; they never were really sick. 2. Many of our physical ailments come from the use of drugs and patent medicines. Christian Science requires its disciples to. give up all use of drugs and patent medi­ cines. The discfples give them ’up and get well from having ceased the use of drugs and patent medicines, and the cure is at­ tributed to Christian Science; whereas, if they had quit their injurious drugs and patent medicines they would have gotten well without Christian Science. 3. Many who say they are healed by

TORREY Christian Science are not healed at all, ex­ cept in a Pickwickian or Christian Science sense. They are really just as sick as they ever were. But Christian Science teaches them to deny sickness. They deny it most religiously; they say they are well; they testify over and over again to their heal­ ing. Their cases are reported as real heal­ ings, but all the time they are just as sick as they ever were, and oftentimes are get­ ting sicker and sicker and die testifying per­ sistently to their healing. Christian Sci­ ence teaches its disciples to lie deliberately and persistently; to say that they are well when they have the same aches and pains that they had before they adopted Christian Science, and when in their inmost hearts they know they are not well. Anyone who attends the testimony meetings of Christian Scientists with any regularity will find man after man, and woman after woman testi­ fying over and over again, most positively as to their complete healing, when by their looks and their whole conduct it is perfectly evident that they are sick people. For ex­ ample, a man arose in a Christian Science meeting in Scranton, Pa., and returned thanks that he had been delivered from be­ ing club-footed, and as he gave his testi­ mony, walked across the platform with all the gait and appearance of a club-footed man, just as club-footed as ever. Of course he was not healed, but in the Christian Sci­ ence sense (which is nonsense and false­ hood) he was healed. 4. Many of the alleged cures by Chris­ tian Science are of persons who have re­ cently moved to a new and more healthful climate, and have'adopted a new and'saner mode of life; living in the open air and liv­ ing a simpler life in every way. About the time these people come to the new and more healthful climate or adopt the more sane and healthful mode of living, they are brought in contact with Christian Science. The cli­ mate and the wiser mode of life are doing

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